Tarpaulin fastening



July 29, 1952 E. F. coTToR ET Ax. 2,604,897

TARgAuLIN FASTENING Filed June 13, 1949 slipping down along the fold"'l 2A preferred configuration for this strmas'shown provides for the outwardly extending edge-there? H of I4 to be straight, so that itmay -lie substanftially flush against the edge crease of the fabric I5 and be supported thereby against outward pulling action. As illustrated the inwardly'extending edge I6 of said strip y provide maximum resistance to pulling action. Said arcuate edge I6 further serves to eliminate corners which, .if there, wouldbecome objectionably furled after some use ofthe'tarpaulin.

Ihefstrips I3 are securely held nserted within the' fold 1I2, substantiallyiiush againstthe crease I5 bymeans of stitches I1 which also serve to retain the perimeter reinforcing fold I2 in place. Said stitches run along, and in generally parallel relation tothe inner edgefof said fold I2 at those intervals where there is no anchoringY strip I3. At those points where there isa strip I 3 the stitching follows generally the inner arcuate edge thereof I6. It is to be understood that other well known fastening-means, such as a series of small rivets o1' staples, could be .substituted for said stitchingj c, g.:

Peripherally adjacent the outsidefof Ycrease I5, toward the centrallongitudinal portion of the strip4 I3 is tiering I8.; This tie ring is preferably of the D type' and is preferably. solid, as it is shown herein. Theil type is preferred` for the following reasons, among-others; first, the flatside thereof minimizes circumferential turning of the ring which causes wear on the crease I5 and the hereinafter discussed strap I9; second, the flat side provides greater varea to restagainst the crease I5, the advantages of Ywhich willbe hereinafter pointedout, vA solid ring is of course preferred tbecause of its; greaterstrength. Said tie ring, I8 is held-ing position (thatiav. fiat side peripherally adjacent the `crease VIii) strap ,'I 9 passing through it and extending inwardly along :and over fold I2 and a part of strip I3 onone side. and thebody'portion II on `the Vother side of the tarpaulin; Said strap I3 may be of. any tough nexible material.,y We have-found a fairly heavy leather to be especiallyl suitablaand the illustrated form is of that: material. The twoinwardly extending portions Vofthe strap are integrally joined Y to each, other. through' the layers which'they sandwichf by means of rivets 2i) or other means commonlyused for. such purpose. Said rivets 20 should :be placed close' enoughto the crease l5 so as to prevent the ring I8. from M When said rivets are thus placed, the ring. I 8 will besupported from the sides by the inwardly extending portions of strap- I9, andfrom below bythe'flat Yside I4 of strip. I3 inserted and stitched fiush against crease l5. Said ring IB is yadditionallylr- I3 is arcuately shaped to held in position in theillustrated embodimentby the generally rhour-glassfr shapeot ,strap fIS; that is, the-immediate inwardly-extending..end portions of strap. IIS-:are of a width lgreaterthan the diameter of ring I8, the opposed edges of said 'stitches 2 5.

4 strap diverging from each other as they extend in. The portion of said strap passing over crease I5 may be of a width slightly less than the length of the at side of ring I8.

The ring I8 is thus securely held in position ready for tying but nevertheless is not itself integrally attached to the ktarpaulin body portion II. as` were the grommets; of z.the priorart." In use, therefore, the body portion II is not subjected to repeated exing and twisting by a taut tying rope, as was formerly the case. By reason of our invention said iiexing is absorbed by the strap I9 andthe strip I3, both of which are made of tough .l tear-resistantmaterial, conveniently leather. A further advantage of our novel construction is that the usual pulling and twisting strains, which result from lacing a tarpaulin over goods, are

distributed overk a, much larger area than were said strains in prior art fastenings where a small area of the fabric immediately surrounding the grommetreceived most of the flexing action.- In a rectangular tarpaulin measuring 'six'v feet by eight feet, used for ordinary coveringlpurposes'. we have found that three' ofour side fixtures on the eight foot side and a proportionately smaller number on the six foot side to be adequate for Weatherproof coverage. j f

Turning now to the construction of the corner fastenings. particularly asillustrated inaFigure 2. the principles of construction there involved are very similar to those hereinabove discussed, and the advantages derived from said construction are precisely the same. Thelccrner .reinforcement piece 2I, in this instance, has at least two flat edges 22 and 23 extending at right anglesk to each other. The angle formed by these edges is in serted at a corner within'the folds I2 sov that said edges22 and 23 wi1llike the edge IlIonst'ripI. lie substantially flush against creases I5. vThis is illustrated by the broken away. portion 'of fold I2 in Figure 2. This construction provides maximum supportfagainst any pulling action on piece 2l 'by corner ring I8 when the tarpaulin is'afixed over goods; l Piece 2I' is held securely 'in place along itsjoutwardly extending straight edges 22 and 23`by stitches I'I, and alongfits inwardly extending edge 24 (in this case also straight) by Corner strap` I9 infFigure 2 is raised to show the construction thereunder.' It will'be noted that in the illustrated embodiment. the corner tipvZG hasbe'en folded over to provide a flat surface against which `the flat side of ring I8 may rest. Said corner'tipcan equally well be cut off tolaccomplish the' same result.' In lowered position, the inwardlyfxtending portions of strap Ytear-resistant material of substantiallyl greater width than said fold inserted in s aid fold and lextending inwardly` therebeyond yalong the tar- Vpa'ulin fabric and stitched or otherwise united thereinand thereto; aftie ring witha. portion of its periphery adjacent thel vouter edge ofl said fold and there positioned by a tough flexible strap passing through said ring and extending inwardly along each side of the reinforced fabric, the reinforcement facing portions of said strap being united to each other through said reinforcement.

2. In a fastening for a Weather-proof covering, a plurality of abutting angle-forming marginal folds of said covering, a tough anchoring piece having at least two rectilinear edges forming an angle of degree substantially equal to degree of angle formed by abutting marginal folds, said piece being permanently secured partially Within abutting folds with rectilinear edges substantially iush against the inside of outer edges of abutting folds; a tie ring, and a, tear-resistant strap, said tie ring being positioned peripherally adjacent the outside of the outer edges of said folds at point of abutment by said strap passing therethrough and extending inwardly therefrom, the end portions of said strap being permanently secured to each other through said folds and anchoring piece.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein at least part of the end portions of the strap are of width greater than the central portion thereof.

4. In a tarpaulin fastening, a tarpaulin fabric, a reinforcement therefor comprising a fold of fabric at a marginal edge thereof and a strip of tear-resistant material of substantially greater width than said fold united to said fabric at said folded edge thereof, said strip extending inwardly beyond said fold. a tie ring with a portion of its periphery adjacent the outer edge of said fold and there positioned by a tough iiexible strap passing through said ring and extending inwardly along each side of the tarpaulin fabric, the in wardly extending ends of said strap being united to each other through said fold and strip of tearresistant material.

5. In a tarpaulin, a sheet of fabric material provided with a hem about its perimeter, a plurality of strips of tear-resistant material, each having a width greater than the width of said hem spaced about the perimeter of said fabric and united to said fabric within the hemmed edge thereof, a tie ring positioned adjacent each strip of tear-resistant material by a tough flexible strap passing through said ring and extending inwardly along said fabric to sandwich the same and said tear-resistant material, the inwardly extending portions of said strap being united t0 each other.

EMIL F. co'r'ron. JOHN ALBIN ANDERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,045,132 Dorsey 1 Nov. 26, 1912 2,028,220 Kelly Jan. 21, 1936 2,562,005 Wenzel et al July 24, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 462,552 Great Britain Mar. 11, 1937 

